Foryoueats: Vegetarian Udon

Ingredients

• For Udon Soup Broth:
• 2½ cups water
• 1 piece kombu (4 g; roughly 3 x 3 inches or 7.5 x 7.5 cm per piece)
• 2 pieces dried shiitake mushrooms (17 g, 0.6 oz for the dashi broth and the minced mushrooms below)
• 1 Tbsp soy sauce
• 1 Tbsp mirin
• 1 tsp sugar
• ¼ tsp Diamond Crystal kosher salt
• 12 oz udon noodles (2 packages of AnnieChun's organic udon noodles)
• For the Crispy Seasoned Eggplant:
• 1 Japanese or Chinese eggplant (126 g, 4.4 oz)
• 1 Tbsp potato starch or cornstarch
• 3 Tbsp oil
• For the Sweet and Savory Minced Mushrooms:
• 2 shiitake mushrooms (fresh; substitute portobello, king oyster, etc.)
• ½ Tbsp sugar
• 2 Tbsp water (you can add more to cook for a longer time)
• For the Toppings:
• 2 Shanghai bok choy
• 3 oz deep-fried firm tofu cutlet (atsuage) (½ package)
• shichimi togarashi (Japanese seven spice) (optional; for kicking up the flavor)